A Midsummer Night's Dream
by mykelara
Summary: Alec Hardy takes Ellie to a dance... set in my Broadchurch AU, somewhere in the near future, post S2. Alec/Ellie.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **This is for two special people out there – Hazel and Lauren.** Thank you for all your support and love. It's set sometime post S2 fitting into my Broadchurch AU. There are some names mentioned that tie into my other stories as this eventually may become part of one bigger thing. I hope you enjoy the fluff :-)

The song they are dancing to is called "Charlotte Mittnacht" by Devotchka.

* * *

**A Midsummer Night's Dream**

Hardy was nervous. He parked his car a few houses away. All of sudden he wasn't sure anymore if this wasn't yet again one of his cunning plans that would all fall apart halfway through and end in disaster. He really wanted to do this but deep rooted insecurity was clawing its way up to the surface and screaming in his face. Daisy had encouraged him, reminding him how important this would be to him, moving forward, leaving the past behind. A brief smile flickered across his lips before the anxiety came rushing back and took a firm hold over him.

His heart rate was fast, too fast for his own good and he braced himself for the jolt of the pacemaker. Wincing with the small electrical shock, he took a deep breath and tried to calm down. His heart was reigned in and the light headedness subsided. While he was fumbling for his pills, he made a decision. He would take Ellie to the Midsummer Night's dance. And if this was the last thing he was going to do, so be it.

He started the car again and drove up the few yards to her house. He was grabbing the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. He shouldn't be this nervous, really, they were just friends.

_Ya, right, Hardy, nice try._

His feelings had long crossed the line of mere friendship. It had snuck up on him, slowly but steadily, like the tectonic plates moving until one day the earth quake struck.

It was right after the accusations with Tess, when he had come to her to ask for help. Again to her, and nobody else. Never even occurred to him he could have gone to Baxter or even Jenkinson. No, it was always Ellie.

And she didn't hesitate. She caught his downfall, supported him, and most importantly believed him when nobody else did. And yet again, she saved him from being pulled under.

When it was all done and it was time to leave he couldn't. He literally couldn't because he got sick - wee Fred gave him not only love with his wet toddler kisses but also a nasty respiratory infection which landed him in the hospital, mostly because his cardiologist didn't want to take any risks. Turned out Dr. Abbott had good instincts, his bum heart didn't take kindly to the strain on his body and in the end he was grateful to be taken care off in hospital rather than passing out and falling of the cliffs.

Didn't mean though, that he wasn't being his usual stubborn wanker-self until this realization took hold. Following another cunning escape plan he had decided to sneak out in the middle of the night, but he didn't get far. Ellie had read his mind. She almost scared him to death - quite literally considering that startling him profoundly is a sure way to set off the pacemaker.

When she caught him in the dim lit staircase of the hospital, she lost it. She was towering over him, half a flight up. Her arms were crossed and the weak light backlit her unruly curls, making them look even more wild than usual. Her eyes were fierce, her bottom lip trembled and he was sure she would cry any moment. He couldn't have been more wrong.

She yelled at him. Threw all of his stupidity and selfishness in his face. How did he dare to be so reckless with himself? How did he dare to betray her trust in him like that? Was this how he intended on paying her back for all she had done for him? Why did he always have to act like a total knob? And when she finally ended with asking him, what she was supposed to do, if he just left her behind and the tears were coming after all, the earthquake happened.

How could he, really? How could he dare be reckless and risk leaving her alone like that? He couldn't actually, because it dawned on him that there was much more that her pouty lips and clear brown eyes evoked in him than just brotherly love. His world got turned upside down in this very instance. Mercifully his treacherous body for once decided to aid him in his blundering attempts at human interaction before he could say anything dumb and he passed out right there and then.

When he woke up, Ellie and Dr. Abbott were both there. He wanted to sink into the earth. Both threatened him with abandonment and he never ever considered escaping from the hospital again.

A knock on his window startled him from his reverie.

"Oi, Alec, are you alright? Mom sent me out to see if you're still among the living." Tom sounded just like his mother.

He opened the door and unfolded his long legs to climb out of the car.

"Aye. Still breathing. Are you lot ready? It's getting late."

"Not our fault. We didn't camp out in the driveway day dreaming." Tom gave him a sideways glance and added with a mischievous grin, "You clean up nicely. Maybe you could teach me how to shave after all. Had my doubts there."

Hardy groaned. Bad enough having to contest with one teenager, but now that Tom had warmed up to him, he took right after his mother and her uncanny ability to fight her battles with words.

The door opened and Fred stormed out, his curly hair flying. He threw himself hard against Alec's shin, screeching the Fred version of Alec which sounded more like a cat coughing up a hairball than his wretched name. He didn't mind that one bit.

He ruffled the brown curls and looked up. He almost choked. There she was. She was wearing a white sundress with a floral pattern of dark blue lilies. Her curls were tucked into a pretty headband matching the dress. Her cheeks were slightly flushed which gave her a radiant glow. He tried not to let his eyes wander along the soft, but very shapely curves, which were gently emphasized by the dress. He knew that Daisy had helped pick out the dress and he felt taken back all those years when he saw Daisy for the first time in the dress she had bought for Duncan's wedding.

He tried to clear his throat inconspicuously but failed and let out a rather pathetic croaking sound.

_Bloody hell, seriously?_

He was 44 years old and acted like a teenaged boy. He finally managed to say something.

"You look nice, Miller."

_God, nice? Really, Hardy?_ _Way to go._

She scoffed. "Knob. You know it's not Miller anymore, when will that ever enter your brain."

He ducked and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Sorry, Mi…" She whacked him on the arm and with a mumbled "Unbelievable" stormed off to the car.

"Are you driving or what,_ Alec_?" She overly pronounced his name and he flinched.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. They had started all wrong. It was still time to get out. He heard Daisy's stern voice in his mind - 'If you feel like running away, take a look into your jacket pocket'. So he did. He pulled out a worn photograph. He didn't know she had put it there. She must have taken it from his wallet. He looked at her beautiful face, elated by the dance they had shared at his best friend's wedding. She had written something on the back.

'_Dad, as much as this was an unforgettable moment, don't let this be your last dance. Don't run, not this time. And if you can't do it for yourself, do it for me. I love you. Daisy.'_

He swallowed hard. He could do this. It wasn't like he'd ask her to marry him, it was just a dance. He chewed on his lip and walked over to the car. The drive was amicable enough, not too much bickering happening, even for them. Ellie was sitting rather upright in the car, tense with anticipation. He knew the last time she went to the Midsummer Night's dance it had been with Joe, Tom and Danny running wild along the cliffs. But he also knew what Daisy had told him about Ellie.

Daisy's favorite past time with Ellie was to exchange stories at his expense. So, eventually Duncan's wedding had come up. She told her the whole story and then showed her the photograph that Hardy carried in his wallet. Ellie didn't quite believe that Hardy could actually dance, a waltz of all things, but there was the proof. Ellie gave him a look that he didn't quite know how to interpret. She then quietly confessed the last time she danced a waltz was at her wedding with her father. She had abruptly left the table where they had been sitting and Hardy could have sworn there were some tears in her eyes. Daisy went after her and when they came back everything seemed to be fine.

Hardy wasn't as daft about the situation as the two women might have wanted to believe. When he found out about the Midsummer Night's dance on the cliffs, he was determined to take Ellie there and dance with her. To give her another memory, to say thank you for all she'd done for him. He had arranged with Paul Coates to have the song from Duncan's wedding ready to go whenever the two were ready. The vicar didn't question him, but Hardy could tell there was a silent amusement. To his own surprise, he didn't mind.

* * *

The evening light was glowing with its last glory over the cliffs. The bonfire was burning high and Hardy had finally mustered enough courage to ask Ellie to dance. She had a couple of glasses of wine and he had had a few sips. He sure didn't do his Scottish heritage any honor these days when it came to liquor and he felt sufficiently relaxed to make his move. He had briefly conspired with Paul and everything was ready.

Ellie was talking to Beth who was playing with Lizzy and Fred. When he walked over, she smiled at him and he felt encouraged. He smiled back, his eyes crinkling up. He stepped up right next to her and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. He then brushed her elbow ever so slightly.

"Erm, Ellie. Would you…" He stuttered. His ears were burning and his heart was beating fast. He sent a quick prayer to whatever gods might have been watching over this Midsummer festivity to keep his bum heart going.

"What? Out with it, Hardy. Did you do something idiotic and we have to leave the country now?" She and Beth giggled. Clearly, they had had more than just a couple of glasses of wine.

"No, I didn't. I just…" And then blurted it out as quickly as he could.

"I wanted to ask you if you want to dance with me. Please?" He held out his hand, beckoning her with his head towards the wooden dance floor. His eyes were wide with anticipation and he couldn't ignore the slight tremble in his voice.

She stared at him, her brown wonderful eyes even wider than his. A flurry of emotions ran over her face, but then her mouth curled into a gorgeous smile and she breathed out a "Yes" grabbing his hand and pulling him forward with an eagerness he wouldn't have expected. He sheepishly looked back at Beth who was grinning from one ear to the other.

_Right, Hardy. This is it, for once, don't fuck up your cunning plan._

There were a few other couples on the dance floor. He led her to the middle, right when the previous song had stopped. He gently put his arm around her waist unaccustomed to the feel of her warm body. Her fingers were trembling and her hand was clammy, but he didn't mind. He laced his long fingers into hers, holding her firmly. When she put her hand on his hip, a shiver ran down his spine.

He put his mouth to her ear and whispered, "You ready?"

Their gaze locked and for a moment there was nothing else. Then the music started. He remembered the haunting sound of the accordions and pulled Ellie close to him. She stiffened up for a split second until she gave into his embrace. He picked up the pace and swirled them around the floor. She was a good dancer and fell quickly in step with him. Her weight felt right in his arms and he swung her around with the rhythm of the waltz. By the time the violins took over the melody, they had forgotten what was around them and there was only the music, the sky and the unison movement of their bodies. They were gliding through the night to the beat of the drums, following the haunting sound of the violins and the accordions.

The song took its brief pause before picking up steam for the end, and Hardy, waiting for this moment, let go of Ellie's waist, raised their hands and spun her around, very much like he had done with Daisy. And very much like her, Ellie laughed in delight, her brown eyes sparkling and sending Hardy into a state of eternal bliss. He mirrored her laughter and pulled her close to pick up speed for the final graceful and dizzyingly fast paced swirls before the song found its slow end.

He held her tight, their arms bent at the elbow, hands close to their bodies. He was swaying them gently while the melody was fading. Her head rested against his chest, eyes closed, tears slowly flowing down her cheeks. His embrace was tight when he breathed a kiss on her curly hair. His eyes were closed and he never wanted to let go.

"Thank you for everything, Ellie. You mean the world to me."

He could feel her move and he opened his eyes. She was staring at him, her tears barely gone. She just looked at him, cupped his cheek with her hand, and wiped away a tear that he didn't know he had shed. She stood up to her tiptoes and brushed a kiss against his cheek, her light touch sliding down his cheek, neck, shoulder, and arm until it found his hand. She laced her fingers into his and pressed them gently.

Then without saying a word, she let go of him and walked into the dark over to the cliffs. Hardy's gaze lingered on her until the night had swallowed her. He smiled, feeling happier than he had for a long time. A boyish bubbly feeling grew inside him. For once, his cunning plan had worked.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I wrote this a while ago, for a friend. It's the continuation of "Midsummer Night's Dream" and set somewhere in my larger story arch for a post S2 story. So whatever seems out of context, please accept my sincerest apologies, but I got a little gloomy over writing the Sandbrook case and needed something lighter to balance it off. Maybe I just needed to see Alec's future…

* * *

Ellie let go of his hand. She could still feel the warmth of his cheek in her palm and on her lips. She turned and walked away from his lanky figure towards the dark at the edge of the cliffs. The temptation to look back was big, but she resisted. She'd rather imagine that his hazel eyes were following her, than know they didn't.

She reached the edge of the cliff. The wind was tugging on her dress and curls and she relished the feeling of the cool breeze on her skin. The air tasted salty, just like his cheek had. From the tears he had shed when he thanked her for everything.

'You mean the world to me' – his words echoed in her mind. She didn't even think he was capable of expressing emotions like this, and even more so under these rather lovely circumstances. It was the first time their bodies really had come that close, with the exception of all those times she had to drag his limp stick figure around while he was trying to die on her.

_Wanker._ He probably keeled over the moment she'd left the dance floor. Because he got all emotional. He had, hadn't? She blamed the sudden fluttering of her stomach on the wine, not allowing the thought of an emotional Hardy to take a firm hold in her memory.

She smiled at the irony that was the essence of Alec bloody Hardy. The grumpy bastard's heart was too soft to deal with life. Too soppy, as Daisy kept telling her while they were holding vigil together when he was in the hospital the last time. Right before he had tried to escape again. _Knob_. She found him in the stairwell, gave him a bollocking, and he had no better response than to pass out right in front of her and tumble down a whole flight of stairs, the bloody idiot.

She rolled her eyes at the image and shook her head.

"I bet you're thinking of me. With that face that you're making I've probably already passed the _wanker_ stage and have moved on to at least _bloody idiot_. I bet you twenty quid." The wind was blowing away his words, Scottish lilt carrying them over the cliffs.

She spun around, suddenly heart beating in her neck, breathing fast. She hadn't heard him walk up to her. He was only a few steps away, tall figure outlined by the far away lights from the Midsummer festivities. His hands were shoved in his pocket, his head tucked in and he was eyeing her with an upward gaze.

She crossed the distance between them and whacked him on the arm. "Quite right, you bloody idiot."

"Ouch. What'd you that for?" He was rubbing the spot where she had hit him, a smile curling up his lips.

"You scared the shit out of me. I could have fallen of the bloody cliffs," Ellie snapped at him.

"You owe me twenty quid." His smile had turned into a happy grin.

A wind gust tousled his auburn hair, and he absentmindedly ran his fingers through it. It looked just as disheveled as it did before, a lock falling into his eyes. That same lock of hair that had annoyed Ellie for the past three years that she had known the man. Where she had to resist the urge of brushing it out of his face more times than she could count. Tonight, she finally lost the battle.

"Ach, unbelievable," she groaned under her breath and stepped up close. "Let me fix this." She reached up, tiptoeing again, fingering the offensive piece of hair. She could hear him take in a surprised breath, feeling the air on her cheek, when he exhaled. It sent shivers down her spine.

In one swift move he took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders, pulling her closer while holding on to the lapels. He smelled of salt water and wind, his shirt damp from the ocean's drift coming in. She stared at his chest, not even an inch away, observing the heavy rise and fall. She couldn't look him in the eyes, not knowing what that would do to her. She rested her head over his heart, listening to the slightly irregular beat.

His arms slowly found their way around her body, embracing her thoroughly. She stuck hers under his, reaching around his slender waist, slowly stroking his back. It was his turn to shiver.

"Ellie…," he was panting, trying to catch his breath.

_Shit. Too emotional, for God's sake. _Ellie was berating herself. What was she thinking? He was still holding on to her though, not letting go.

"You alright?" Her voice was trembling.

"I haven't been more alright in a long time, Ellie," he breathed in her ears, leaving a kiss on her hair. And then another closer to her temple. And another on her cheek. Until his lips found her mouth.

* * *

When they finally walked back together to the party, his hand was resting at the small of her back, guiding her over the bumpy terrain. She was still wearing his jacket and he was shivering in his damp shirt. They didn't talk or even look at each other.

The wind was picking up and Ellie's hair was just as much a mess as her emotions. She had kissed Alec bloody Hardy. Right after he had kissed her. Like teenagers in the dark, on the cliffs, after sneaking away from the grown ups' party. He had been so timid, so gentle, something that Ellie would have never imagined. But then she had actually never imagined kissing Hardy. Just as much as she would have never imagined him staying at her house, babysitting Fred, joking around with Tom, simply being happy.

Most people had already left. Fred and Tom were nowhere to be seen. Ellie frowned and looked around.

Alec read her thoughts. "I told Beth to take them home with her before I followed you. She was more than willing to do so. She said something about not getting grass stuck up my bum and then she _winked_ at me. Why would she do that?"

Ellie looked into Alec's bewildered face. He really had no idea, the fool. She started giggling and when he looked even more puzzled, she burst out in full on laughter.

"What?" Only Alec Hardy could frown and pout at the same time.

She took his hand and pulled him close, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"You're adorable."

_Blimey_, she had just called DI Shitface adorable. That wine must have been much stronger than she thought.

"Seriously, Ellie? Puppies are adorable, not me." His eyes were wide with exasperation.

Ellie grinned broadly. She couldn't help herself but think his big hazel eyes did have a puppy quality to them.

"What're you grinning about? I said something daft, didn't I?" He snorted and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "God, I really suck at this," he muttered under this breath. He stared at his feet and kicked a pebble.

"Alec…"

"Don't call me Alec," he snapped at her, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"_What?_ You snog me on the cliffs and I still can't call you Alec? Unbelievable," Ellie blurted out, louder than she intended. She saw some heads turn in their direction. Alec had noted them too and just gave her one of his rolling eyes-annoyed stares.

He took her by the elbow and led her away from the crowd. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose and bent down his head slightly towards her ear.

"'M sorry, Ellie. I'm doing this all wrong," he sighed. He let go of her and started pacing about, hands on his hips.

"I knew this was gonna happen… told Daisy so… she said be yourself… relax… don't know about you Ellie, but being myself usually ends with people wanting to throw things at me… like a cup of piss… or just wishing I had a bloody heart attack… for God's sake… haven't done this in years… can't even get through one evening without arguing… bloody hell… I mean, I know I irritate you, but still… should have shut up…"

Ellie was watching him, mouth gaping open. This was something else. She had seen livid Hardy, exasperated Hardy, desperate Hardy and certainly more dying Hardy than she needed in a lifetime. But she sure had never seen Hardy rambling like this. He finally had to stop to catch his breath. The look on his face was priceless when he realized what just happened. His ears were burning red.

"Oh God, this is worse than with Becca Fisher," he moaned.

"Excuse me? Did you just mention Becca Fisher?" Ellie squinted her eyes at him. What the hell was that about?

He just turned around and walked away. She hurried after him, having to jog to catch up with his long fast strides. She grabbed his arm.

"Would you just stop? You're being bloody stupid." Ellie's voice was quiet. _God,_ why did he have to be so difficult all the time?

He slowed down to a halt. He didn't turn around when he mumbled, "I might have asked Becca to… relax with me in my room… when I was staying at the Trader's."

Now that was unexpected. "Seriously, Hardy? You hit on your hotel owner? How lonely were you?"

He spun around and she was immediately sorry when she saw his face. There was a glitter in his eyes. He balled his hands into fists.

His voice was surprisingly soft when he replied with devastating honesty, "Very much."

Rarely did she catch Hardy in such a vulnerable moment. It made her heart ache to see him like that. She took his hand, opened up the clenched fist and a rubbed her thumb over his palm.

"Remember what I told after we interviewed Ashworth? That you're wrong, that we're not alone?" Ellie found his eyes that were still moist. He nodded silently.

"I know you couldn't believe at the time, but maybe now you can." She cupped his face in her hands and pulled him down.

Their lips found each other. He was still gentle, but more confident. He curled his long fingers into her hair, pulling her even closer. It was a slow but long kiss, tasting of sweetness and tears at the same time. They stood holding each other until his teeth started chattering in the cool summer night.

"Let me take you home, Alec," she whispered into his chest. There was another kiss on her head and she could feel him nodding. She took his hand and led him through the dark, away from the lonely cold.


End file.
